15 FEBRUARY 1946, Page 13

"NATIONALISED INDUSTRY"

Sin,—Mr. Geoffrey Cooper's article should be very useful. But I wish he had put even more emphasis on the fact that our generation has at last discovered, not invented, the pattern for industrial group-control which he mentions. That fact should scream to high heaven so that all our own people as well as our friends in the United Nations should know it. It is the democratic headman's job in any firm, industry or group- of industries (a) to make clear a common objective as the highest common factor of interest for everyone connected with the industry either as consumers, producers or investors ; (b) to organise and balance, with adequate clearing centres of opinion at every level, "producer resources" with "consumer needs" and "research development and planning" with "finance and economics." Th3t is the democratic group- pattern of agreed control. It also makes sociological wnse because indi- viduals join a voluntary group to share a common objective, and individuals in a group must always be willing to give their share to get their share, remembering their past and looking to their future.

As Mr. Cooper points out, this means that, in any nationalised British industry, there should be a chosen Minister charged to find ways and means of balancing production, distribution, economics and planning in the interests of the consumers, producers and investors concerned with the industry. That is how the Minister should set up his top control- board—his executive group that will make his method of control efficient and acceptable within a democratic nation.—Yours faithfully,

GEORGE DICKSON,

Managing Director, Winget, Limited, (Employers' Vice-Chairman, London and South Eastern Regional Board): Rochester, Kent.